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Was banded October 23, 2007 at the outpatient surgery center off Bee Caves. That was three weeks ago. I weighed 254 lbs. I notice that my personal scale is calibrated at 10 pounds less than at True Results. At my first post op appt., I gained about half a pound, it was very discouraging. I got my first fill November 7th. It restricted me for a couple of days but now I'm hungry a lot AGAIN. My scale shows that I now weigh 236 lbs. So if I add the 10 pounds that means I lost 8 lbs since last week. Cool. I still get frustrated because of gas pains and discomfort in the port area. I understand that all this is normal. My shoes fit me loose. I wish I felt better with my knee. It hurts very badly when I walk. I see the knee surgeon on the 28th, my birthday. Yipee. I have physical therapy tomorrow. I also have a second fill scheduled tomorrow. Hope I'm not over doing it. When I went for my first post op appt., I felt very light headed after the NP gave me the first fill. She said I was over exerting, and I was dehydrated and needed additional protien. Go figure. Get some rest and drink plenty of fluids. Imagine that! I can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week already. It'll be fun to visit with my family. Looking forward to it.:tired

I remember how nervous and excited I was about the Psych Eval, so I want to share my experience. First off, everywhere I called to make an appointment for my Psych Eval there was a 3 month wait. I had called probably 15 places, on my 16th try, when I asked if they have anyone that does WLS determinations, she said yes, but we are booked out 3 months, then, she says, hold on a second. I hear someone else on a different phone, talking about a cancellation. Sure enough, the lady comes back on the phone and asks how soon I can get there? Are you kidding me? I am about an hour+ away, . . . I can be there in 45 minutes! I made it. I was very excited, I have worked in the Mental Health field for about 5 years, and I was super excited about having a one on one evaluation from a Psychiatrist. So I fill out my paperwork, they call me back. He begins asking me questions. Do you have a support system? How much weight do you want to loose? What do you want to look like? Who is your support system? Who are you telling about surgery? Support system Support system Support System. So, then I figure I will get to take a Millon, or some type of personality test. Nope. That was it. It took maybe 35 minutes, he said he would have his recommendation faxed by the end of the day. I was a little disappointed. I was kind of wanting to have the whole lay on the couch and tell me about your life experience, but whatever. He approved me and I am off to Insurance. Oh, come to find out, my insurance company doesn't even require a psych eval. oh well. :-)

As I get closer and closer to being banded, there are so many things that start worrying the mind. I have read on this board so many stories of friends and family members being negative about Lapband. I decided I wanted to write a letter, ok, who the hell writes letters, I want to send an email to my friends and family explaining what is going on. Here is what I have so far, let me know if you think I am giving too much info, or not enough. Well, my 3 year wait is over – I have finally been approved for Lapband surgery. I wanted to send an email to everyone, explaining what the procedure is, what to expect and what not to expect. Feel free to ask any questions. Lapband is an outpatient surgery that places a silicone band around the top part of your stomach. The band is inflated/deflated “a fill” with saline through a “port” that is accessed (by needle) around your belly area. This surgery is completely reversible and has <1% complications. I will be home recovering for about 3 days. My surgeon is Dr. Felix Spiegel. He is the MOST experienced surgeon in the United States; he has done more than 5000 Lapband procedures and is very well respected. I am extremely lucky that he is in my network. People fly in from all over the world to have him perform their surgery and he is right here in Houston. Here is his website if you would like to see his information. http://www.felixspiegelmd.com/index.asp The Lapband is NOT a miracle; it is a TOOL, it allows you to feel full faster and keeps you from eating as much. However, if you don’t follow the rules, you can gain weight on the Lapband, just as without it. The nerves of your stomach are at the very top. So when we eat, you fill your stomach all the way to the top before you feel full. The band will hold the food at the top and have a small opening where the food will slowly disperse into the lower stomach, so not only do you feel full faster, but you stay full longer. For the majority of people, this surgery enables them to loose weight, but it does not work for everyone. Thankfully the band can be removed in minutes in an out-patient procedure if needed. I hope it won’t be needed. When I have the surgery, I will be on liquids while my body is healing and the stomach is swollen from surgery. Once the swelling goes down, I will be able to eat anything for a couple of months. The band will not be inflated, so there won’t be any restriction – Restriction is when the band is inflated and helps hold the food at the top of the stomach. Sometimes it takes 6 fills or more before your restriction is to a point where it helps control your hunger. So there may not be much change in my weight or eating for many months. There are 3 stages of eating following surgery. Liquids Following surgery, the Dr. doesn’t want the stomach to have to process anything. It is freaking out because it has a band around it. The band is stitched into place and after a while it creates a “place” for the band to sit. If you eat solid foods or take huge bites, it could move the band while it is supposed to be healing. Mushy Foods Instead of going from Liquids to solid foods, they have a mushy stage so that your stomach has time to adapt to everything. Also, since you won’t be very hungry following surgery and your stomach is still swollen, this allows you to consume more calories and promote healing. Solid Foods Finally, I will begin introducing normal foods again. Some people have problems tolerating certain foods after surgery, others don’t. Tough meats, nuts, dried fruit, soft breads and pastas are normally the culprits. Once I have proper restriction, you will notice that I won’t be able to eat very much at one time. Usually ½ a cup is normal for a banded person. Because I won’t be eating as much, I will have to eat a lot of Protein. Since I will get full fast, I am supposed to eat Protein first, then everything else. So, for all you people that I go out to eat with all the time – I am going to start eating off your plate! Ha! Also, I will be taking very tiny bites and chewing forever! A couple of other things you may notice, I won’t be able to drink with my meal – that is going to be so odd and I will be taking small bites. This surgery does not cause any type of starvation, malnutrition, or vitamin deficiency. I will be able to eat everything from before; I will just want less of it. The typical banded person eats 1200 calories a day, which is what anyone is supposed to eat. Bad foods, such as fast foods, fried foods, sweets, shakes and such, go right through the band with no problem, so there is always room for failure. This surgery usually results in loosing 70% of your excess weight. I have done so much research on this procedure; I think I could give classes on it. My favorite place to browse is http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php this website is devoted completely to Lapband. It is a great place for information. I have started an online Blog to document my experiences. Feel free to check it out. http://lapbandtalk.com/journal.php?do=showjournal&j=936 Hopefully next time I see you guys, I will be happily banded!

I've lost 58 pounds. I have saggy skin in my stomach and my upper underarms. Until I get to a stopping point, I'm really not worrying about the skin. I'm too busy enjoying the newfound energy, less medical problems, less medicines. My DH hasn't complained yet.

I am having the same problem. I was banded May 12 and am down 14 pounds, but right now I feel like I could eat anything....I do not get a fill until June 20. It is so frustrating because I am still eating so much less and have been at the same weight for two weeks. I am really hungry and I am having to tell myself DO NOT EAT LIKE YOU USE TO as you are defeating your purpose.....but I agree with all of you....this is so hard. Other people without the band do not help as they expect me to be dropping weight weekly.... Then I can come here and find people that are coping with the same frustrations....right now I am trying to retain what I have lost, eat less and hold oout for my fill and pray it does the trick and I start loosing again. I also tell myself 14 pounds is a lot smaller than I was on May 12....... Everyone experiencing this limbo before a fill.....hang in there...we shall all get through this with the help of the experienced banders... Thank you all!

hi....our bodies respond differently isnt it... I too am not loosing..but I have understood 3 things...drink plenty of Water, eat lot of Proteins and exercise.... and i am not doing these regularly...so I cant blame the band... but I am happy I put the band..at least i eat less and stopped putting on weight..all the best to all of us slow loosers..

wow - isn't there someone you can report that office too???? i don't know what area you are in but maybe you can find another dr. who is more "pro sleeve". don't let it get to you - we are all here, loosing.

I think everyone that is obese and overweight has encountered some sort of emotional eating. Loosing weight even with a band is a very emotional journey. I am six days post op and I find myself on an emotional rollercoster. I have to continue to remind myself why I want to loose weight. You are correct in seeking out some treatment. Continue to research and educate yourself. Take the negative thoughts out of your mind and focus on all the positives that you would like to achieve. Today is day 8 on a liquid diet and I can't believe someone who loves food as much and I do could have made it 8 days with no food. I am scarred too. I'm scarred that when I begin to eat regular food that I might mess up. I am looking at my life now one day at a time. Each day that I have survived brings me closer to my goal which is to be healthy and feel like a normal person. Good luck to you and God bless

Hello all, Has anyone been denied skin surgery by insurance, appealed and won? I have bcbsil, recently submitted to and denied panniculectomy. The doctor wants to appeal, what can I do?

Starting weight: 283 Height: 5'8" Starting BMI: 43 Goal: 150ish. I'd be happy with higher if I thought I looked and felt good. I guess it depends on where my body feels comfortable. I have been overweight all of my adult life and really, as long as I can remember. I feel like I've been on some sort of diet forever. The first diet I can remember is at the age of 16, my mother sent me to Weight Watchers. I've been on Jenny Craig, Richard Simmons. I've taken Redux and just about any over the counter "dietary supplement" known to man. I've been able to lose weight with these things but I've never been able to keep the weight off and the pounds usually bring a few friends back with them. It's really amazing when I look in the mirror. I don't think I look that bad, but when I see photos of myself I am shocked at how big I look. I'm ashamed of what I look like. I am looking foreward to the day when I have the lap band as a tool to help me keep on track. I was born with a condition known as congenital hip dysplasia (my hips weren't formed right and were dislocated). I'm told that I'm lucky to be able to walk, but I had a good doctor as a child and with many surgeries, I'm whole again. It's hard for me to participate in high impact exercise, but I walk, ride bicyle, swim and try to keep active. I enjoy reading and music. My favorite author is Stephen King. My husband and I own a travel trailer and do a lot of camping in the summer time. That keeps me active with walking and bicycling. I had my surgical consult on 1/14/05 and am currently waiting for insurance approval for adjustable gastric banding. 2/3/05 I got word that my insurance approved me for the lap band. Hooray!. 2/9/05 I've scheduled all my pre-op testing and dietician appointments. They tell me my surgery is scheduled for 4/4/05!. WOW. This is happening faster than I thought. The nurse from the office had told me yesterday that 4/4/05 was a possible date but didn't tell me they were going to schedule it. 02/11/05 I got a letter from my doctor's office and from the hospital advising me that my surgery has been scheduled for 4/4/05. What a way to notify someone. Well, at least it's official. Now the waiting game begins. I'm trying to follow the post banding diet so it won't come as such a shock for me post operatively. I'm "in training" so to speak. I think I find the no drinking with my meals and trying to time my fluid intake around my meals the hardest. 2/23/05 I had my first appointment with the office nurse who does most of the follow ups. She was doing my lap band teaching. All the pre-op, actual operative and post op advice I understood and was prepared for except for one thing. She told me to start eating with a baby spoon and a pickle fork so that I could get accustomed to small bites. I don't even know what a pickle fork is!. Is this something I'll have to do forever? I can't find anywhere on the forums where anyone has been advised this except for other patients of Dr. Duckett. I guess this will just become part of my "in training" whether I feel good about it or not. How am I gonna explain those utensils to my co-workers since I've tried to keep the whole surgery from them to begin with? 2/26/05 Had my consultation with the dietician today. It took 2 hours! Who knew it would take 2 hours to go over food? She made me feel very comfortable and she gave me a lot of hand-outs on the different types of diets should I ever stray. There's even examples of menu's. Although, that's exactly what I've been researching ever since I decided the lap band was for me. I felt very informed going in and very confidant going out. OH, and one more thing. I weighed myself today. I'm down to 272.5!. That's 9lbs gone since I've started trying to follow the lap band diet after my consultation with Dr. Duckett. WooHoo! 3/2/05 I found this on a post tonight and thought that it spoke volumes for my situation. I wanted to save it in case I forgot all the reasons I chose lap band. Once in awhile, someone will come around asking for the reasons why I chose the Band, so I'll compile my reasons here: More natural rate of weight loss: * Minimal sagging skin * No "window of opportunity" * Plenty of time to develop better eating/living habits, including exercise Least invasive surgery: * Lower rate of complications or death * Complications are easier to manage * Quicker recovery time; less painful * No cutting/rearranging of body parts * No changing the natural digestive process * No necessity of taking vitamins or supplements; I can get all I need from food Most innovative technique: * Adjustable for permanent weight-loss aid * Removable, should something more effective become available * "Cool" factor Generous but effective learning curve: * Better eating habits must be adopted from day one - no coasting * Has been labeled as "thinking person's WLS" * No punitive "dumping syndrome"; may eat like a normal person * Ability to drink normally and get in enough water * Safety-net effect; may put weight loss on hold to concentrate on other matters without gaining I never seriously considered RNY. When I heard about the Band, it was like a light bulb going on for me. By the way, I weighed myself again. 270.5! Another 2lbs gone. I don't want to get in the habit of weighing myself more than once a week, but I couldn't help myself, and I stepped on. 3/18/05 I had the upper GI and venous doppler studies today. Man, I felt like I was playing twister on that x-ray table for the upper GI. It was like, "turn left, more left, turn right, more right, now on your stomach, bend your knee, roll over." Venous doppler was a piece of cake other than the goo they use for the ultrasound. It was kind of hard to get all of it off. I haven't lost any more weight, but on the bright side, I haven't gained either. Once I'm banded, my portions will be significantly less and with the liquid diet required, I'm sure I'll get moving again. 4/2/05 I've been on the full liquid diet since 3/30/05. Sometimes I feel like I'm being tortured. I dream about food. Is that sick or what? I feel really sorry for those individuals who have to do this for longer than the 5 days I'm required to follow it. 4/6/05 I'm home and banded. I read about this gas pain, but geez it really is the worst. I'm not nauseated or anything. But the pressure in my chest and upper abdomen feels like I'm having a heart attack sometimes. I try to walk it off, but last night it was even hard to breathe. I'm trying to sip my water and eat a little at a time, but really I'm not hungry. I'm only eating out of fear that I'll get run down and not feel well if I don't. 4/8/05 Feeling better today. I've been up and about the house. The only discomfort I've had is from moving too quickly. I do have an odd sensation of bloatedness. It seems like I have it all the time. I'm trying to learn the language of the band but it's hard when everything feels like different levels of full at this point, even when I'm only consuming liquids. 4/16/05 Feeling back to my old self for the most part. I'm up and around, even starting to feel hungry. I have 2 more days of full liquids then I can move onto pureed. I can honestly say I'm really looking foreward to that as I'm getting tired of soup! I plan on going back to work on 4/18/05 and although I am physically ready, I would like more time off. Who doesn't like being home and relaxing? 4/25/05 Gee, the last week has gone by so fast, I haven't had time to blink let alone update or post. My husband's grandmother passed away on 4/18/05 so, we had to leave for Texas on very short notice. I've been on mushies and let me tell you, traveling on mushies is a difficult task. Especially to Texas where there is GREAT Tex-Mex food available. My husband's family doesn't know I had surgery, so I had to make do. I had some cold cuts, chewed really well and some very well cooked roast beef (also very well chewed). I didn't have any problems with them, other than some extra gas, but I didn't push it and tried to stay with very soft, mushy or even foods that boardered on liquids for the duration of the trip. I got on the scale today, and I've lost 3 more pounds! WOW! I never thought I would because truthfully, I didn't think I was getting enough calories in and I definately wasn't drinking enough. I've also been fortunate enough to have some sort of cold or bronchitis and haven't been feeling up to eating or drinking. I guess, I must have done something right! This journey is so unique. 5/3/05 I had read other member's NSV's but I didn't really realize the significance of them until this morning. I had dressed for work in slacks that zipped on the side. They were loose, but I didn't realize how loose they were until...I had to tinkle and when I went into the bathroom I pulled my pants down. I had absentmindedly thought that I was wearing elastic waistband pants! They came down without any problem and as I sat there, I started laughing, my husband thought I was crazy laughing there on the toilet. This has been on my mind all day and I had to share it because I've read everyone's weight loss in the first few weeks and I felt that my own weight loss was a little slower than others. (I know, we're not supposed to compare ourselves, but it's hard not to) I had resigned myself to being a slow loser. I must be losing inches and because I hadn't measured myself, I'll never know exactly how many inches I've lost. Oh well, I can feel it in my clothes and the way I move. 5/23/05 Just a quick update. Feeling good. The weight is slowly going down. 250.5 today. I think it's been 2 years since I've weighed that. Over the weekend, I cheated a little and had some Doritos. Not a lot, just maybe an ounce or 2. Just the same, shouldn't have had them. Well it's just 1 day along the road. "one day at a time" 6/5/05 I've been 248 for about a week now, just didn't update. Hope to see some more loss soon. I haven't had a fill, so I don't really have much restriction. I follow the diet and I do feel satisfied for about 3 hours. I can't say that I'm hungry a lot or "starving" or anything. Still trying hard to get all my water in every day. 6/10/05 I weighed myself today. 244.5! I've been out of town for work and I've been eating all my meals out. I feel I've made mostly good choices, a lot of grilled chicken salads though. I do log everything I eat in a program I have for my PDA, it's called Balancelog. It's O.K., although I'm sure no program's perfect. I've been staying about 1200 cal or less. :-P once in a great while I'm over, but not by much. I've also been doing better with the water because it's been so hot here. 7/18/05 I haven't updated in a while because I've been stuck for about a month. In fact, after my last post, I gained 4 lbs and had to lose them again. I've been more active with exercising and I've been doing well with my eating habits, but still I was stuck. So...I scheduled a fill. I had to convince the doctor's office nurse first, but I did it. Today was my first fill. It wasn't so bad. The doctor did it under fluoro at the hospital where I had my surgery. BUT, I'm filled to 2.8 or "just under 2.8" according to the doctor. That seems like a lot. I watched the passage of barium through the band and it went through, albeit slowly. The doctor reminded me several times to take it slow and to call anytime, day or night if I have spitting or problems. I'm a little scared. I've been on clear liquids since the fill this morning and haven't had any problems getting those down. I guess I'm just nervous. I've never had a PB and I don't want to. 7/29/05 Oh my God! Yesterday I thought I was going to die. Or at least I wished I had for a time. I've still been on mushies. The doctor told me to take it slow after that fill and I've been ever faithful to those orders mostly out of fear. I had very finely shredded tuna salad and one of those breakstone's creamed cottage cheese with fruit for lunch. It went down fine and I took my time. I had eaten both of those items before and wasn't worried. About an hour and a half afterwards, the pain started. It felt like something was stuck. I started to walk around. I even took a couple sips of water, which I know doesn't usually help but I have found it's kind of instinct. When that didn't work, I kept walking. I walked for nearly a half hour straight, sometimes leaning over a sink hoping and wishing I'd vomit for the pain to go away. I finished my work and got in my car. By this time, an hour had passed and the pain was so bad I could hardly breathe. I called my DH who called the surgeon and told me to get to the ER to be checked. The ER is an hour from my home and I was more than a half hour from my home! That drive home was the most painful torture I have ever experienced. The pain only seemed to get worse and worse. Then, about 2 miles from my house, I felt a "pop" and suddenly the pain and pressure was gone. When I got home, DH and I decided to go to the ER anyway mostly because we were scared. I had never experienced anything this extreme (nor do I again, thank you). The doc checked my band under fluoro and to my amazement, the 2.8cc he said he put in is now down to 2cc and everything is moving just fine, band has not moved. What happened to the 0.8cc? And, what the hell was all that pain? 8/13/05 Gosh how time flies. I didn't really realize that I hadn't updated my profile since "BLACK THURSDAY". I've come to the conclusion that the pain on 7/28 was probably some solid food that I hadn't chewed well enough that had gotten stuck. My Dr. thought maybe I had eaten too fast or swallowed too much air in the process, both viable possibilities. No matter what the cause, I WILL be chewing better and eating slower. I did mushies for a day or 2 after that then continued on soft foods for another week before going back to regular food. I'm doing fine now. I was amazed to find that I can still eat bread, rice, red meat, etc. I really haven't found anything that doesn't go down...yet. I haven't lost any more weight. I'm still at 234.5, but that's o.k. I feel great. I've been kind of bad at getting my water in the last couple of weeks, my work schedule has been weird. I'll get back on track and I'm sure my weight will get moving again. 8/22/05 Been doing O.K. Weighed on Friday. I'm at 232 lbs. I'm doing about a pound a week. I'm very happy with that. I'm in a size 18 comfortably right now. Today, I had to try three pairs of pants to find one that fit well enough to wear to work. The others were so big I looked bad. What can I say, I'm too cheap to buy all new just yet. I think I'm going to have to break down and buy a couple of outfits. I've been telling myself that as I got fat, I also gathered plenty of clothes that got me there. Well, I think I skipped a size or two because I can't find many in size 18 in my closet. Darn, shopping will be such a pain I'm sure. I look back and remember that when I started this journey in January and in the pic below I was in a size 24. In January that size 24 was rather snug. 9/13/05 Feeling pretty good about my weight loss. Still doing the 1-1.5lb loss per week. Went to my monthly support group meeting last night. I realized how lucky I am to be losing steady and to be going along so well. I haven't PB'd, just that "stuck" episode. I tolerate any food I put into my mouth and I have followed my rules pretty well. I try to make good choices most of the time, but I do allow myself treats. I think that's what keeps me happy and on track. I am satisfied with smaller amounts of the things I love. This is exactly what I wanted. I can eat what I want, in moderation and still lose weight. I do track my nutritional and caloric intake nearly daily (I may take a day or 2 off on a weekend, but rarely). And, I don't cheat on that log...I track everything the best that I can. I admit I could be doing better with my exercise. 228lbs. 9/22/05 Although, I generally weigh myself on Friday or Saturday I thought I'd post today because I have plans for the weekend and thought maybe I'd be too busy to post later. The last time I weighed myself I was 225lbs. That's a total of 57lbs gone. I can't say it enough...I am so pleased with my surgery and my weight loss so far. I can't even remember the last time I weighed that. I think it was more than 10 years ago to be honest. I don't feel deprived. I have more energy. My self confidance has gone up. How could it not? So many people have noticed the loss and are making comments. Lap band was the best thing I have ever done for myself and I would do it again in an instant. 10/5/05 Well, I can no longer boast that I have never PB'd. I am not proud of that fact, but here goes...Today at work I started to have that now familiar epigastric pain. I had clam chowder for lunch with a small salad and a breadstick. None of those items were new to me, so I had no fears whatsoever. About an hour after I ate, the pain started. This time I even started to sweat. I figured that I wasn't going to put up with this so...(bulemics beware) I went to the bathroom and put my finger down my throat in hopes to feel better. I only brought up mucous. This only temporarily relieved my pain, so I did this same routine 3 more times. One of those, I did bring up some undigested food. This has not been a pleasant banded day. I'm still uncomfortable, but unless I can't stand the pain I'm not doing it again. I guess it's a jello night. 10/24/05 After the last update, I went to the ER and was kept overnight for dehydration because I couldn't keep anything down. Dr. Duckett took out 1cc from my band the next day. I've been really careful ever since mostly staying with soft foods. I did have a salad over the weekend and felt pretty confidant about it. Today I PB'd again. It was the best PB I've had if that's possible. The pain started, I walked, up it came. All in all it lasted about 10 or 15 minutes. If they were all like that, I would consider it a blessing. Not that I really want them. But that torture of 7/28/05 and 10/5/05 made me want to die. I'm gonna cut this update short because I'm a little sore. I'm down to 223 lbs which is good considering my band is looser than before. 11/24/05. Wow, I forgot to check my profile and hadn't realized how llong it had been. I can remember that time like it was yesterday. I feel like the whole month of October and most of November has been brutal torture for me. I had to keep going back to liquids for one thing or another and I sincerely developed a fear of food. On 11/14/05 when it felt like I was gonna get that pain again I called the doctor's office. I didn't go into a full blown attack, but it was distracting to say the least. I felt like I was eating papaya enzyme tabs like candy in hopes to help digest whatever was the problem (although really how could tomato soup and a bit of tuna salad do that?) Dr. Duckett insisted on seeing me. On 11/17/05 I saw him and he felt that what I was having was esophogeal spasms. I suppose they may have originally been started by something getting stuck, but he felt they were caused by increased stress in my life (which I've been having A LOT of). He gave me a prescription for Valium to help calm those muscles down which I'm only supposed to take when I feel the spasms coming. So far, no more really intense ones since 10/24/05 and 10/25/05 but I fear that and would avoid that with everything in me. I've been doing much better ever since. I do have a little bit of reflux, but I think that may be from eating too late at night. I'm down to 216.5 lbs and very happy with that. I cleaned out my closet and got rid of all of the clothes that were hanging on me. That's a good feeling. 12/28/05 Well, I didn't make it to my unofficial goal of "onederland" by the end of the year but that's O.K. I've lost 69 pounds and am very happy with that. Especially considering the last three months worth of trials I've had, I'm very very happy. October started with a hospitalization for pain and inability to keep liquids down that turned out to be esophageal spasms. November was more of the same then turned into reflux that went on and on which convinced me that my band was slipped. After a long struggle with that reflux, I finally called the doctor who (I think mostly to ease my mind) checked my band under fluoro. All was well. I think he thinks I'm a nervous freak-he told my husband that once my mind was eased I should be just fine. Now, my struggle is HOLIDAY TREATS. I haven't really gained any, but I'm truly shocked. Those darn cookies will be the death of me. 2006 will be good for me. My band is in place, once I'm away from the posessed cookies that call my name I'll be fine with my choices and "onederland" here I come. Only 14 lbs to go. 1/20/05 I've been hesitant to update. Not because I'm not losing weight or anything. I've just been down in the dumps about banding. There have even been times I wish I had the damn thing out of my body. I am SICK and TIRED of having these episodes where I have pain and pressure that goes on and on. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've had it for a whole day in varying degrees. I don't have a clue what causes it. I keep track of everything I eat and NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING that I eat is consistent enough to figure out what causes this. Because the pain comes about an hour to an hour and a half AFTER I've eaten I can't say whether it's because I've eaten too fast or not chewed well enough. All I can say is that I try to pay attention at each meal, mostly out of fear. I'm averaging one of these "spasms" about once every two weeks. The doctor says it's consistent with esophageal spasms. Well, FIX IT! I'm tired of having them. I'm losing weight, but not necessarily the right way. Basically I'm starving. I'll eat normally for a week or two, then WHAMO! smasm and then it's nothing to eat for a day (or 2) but maybe tea then slowly work back up to solid foods again. 211lbs 1/30/06 Here I am, still suffering to a certain extent. A couple days after that last entry, I got fed up with the poor answer from my band surgeon to "seek counseling". I started considering the possibility that maybe these attacks were not related to my band. I saw a doctor for a second opinion and found out that I have gall stones. All of these months, at least since October, I have been suffering with gall bladder attacks. I am scheduled to have my gall bladder removed on 2/2/06. These last few weeks I have not felt well, I constantly have a sick taste in my mouth. It's kind of what I thought was reflux before. Now, I'm wondering if I had reflux at all and not some weird bile overload or even infection from the gall bladder. Who knows? I sincerely hope this gall bladder surgery solves my problems. If not, I may just have the band removed. I am tired of being sick and I'm tired of being in pain. 207 lbs 2/5/06 Well, where do I begin? I had the gall bladder surgery. They say that part went fine. Somehow during the surgery they dislocated my artificial hip. Yes, they dislocated my hip. My abdomen is sore from the gall bladder surgery. Generally, I feel better than I did before although I really don't have much of an appetite. The problem is my hip. I am not to bear any weight on it. It's been 3 years since I've dislocated it. I was doing so well. I feel really low, as if I've started all over again with my hip. I hobble around with my walker and my a$$ is really sore from sitting all the time. Weight loss is really not a priority right now, but it's amazing that when you feel so bad or are in pain it really doesn't matter. 3/24/06 Well, I'm fully recovered from the gall bladder surgery. I'm still in physical therapy for my hip. They tell me that the muscles are really weak. I'm planning on going back to work on 3/27, so I hope they're strong enough for that. Other than a little bit of pain that comes and goes, I guess I'll have to go on. I've come to the realization that all of the problems I've had since October, probably even the "black Thursday" mentioned in July 2005 was a gall bladder attack. All of those experiences were variations of the same. Any vomiting I had was only mucous and came as a last resort to relieve the pressure associated with the pain. Although I couldn't testify, I believe I have NEVER had a true PB. Is that possible? At almost 1 year out, to never PB? I would have taken a PB or 2 over the torture of those months. OH Well. Now that I can eat, I do. I'm stuck at 211lbs. Yes, I gained a couple since the gall bladder surgery, but I'm not terribly sad about it. Not happy, but not really depressed or anything. I can eat, Happy. I gained, sad. I think it's also because I'm working out with weights to strengthen muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. It's only 4lbs. I'll eventually get it off. I hope. 4/9/06 I know this is a LONG first entry for a journal, but I wanted to put my entire OH profile on here. I'm told that there's a possibility I may lose it. So...I figured I'd have it on 2 sites. What's the chances of both of them losing it? Anyway, I'm still bouncing between 210 and 211 lbs. I'm thinking that I may be experiencing my first ever real plateau. Even when I've dieted whenever my weight even slowed down I'd give up and return to my prior eating. I've been exercising more, trying to strengthen those weak hip muscles. I have had a bit of Easter candy, but I don't think enough to stall me this long. I'm sure with patience I'll break it, eventually.

:update: I feel terrific! :clap2: I have more energy than I have for a long time - everyone keeps telling me they can see a difference and that my skin looks great. I'm sure that's from eating healthy food! I've been eating soft foods and basically seem to be eating less than half of what I used to eat and getting that "full" feeling. I've only had one slightly uncomfortable moment after eating- I think i ate a forkfull or 2 more than I should have. I felt "Thanksgiving full" and needed to take a 10 minute walk and then felt much better. I've had a small glass of white wine before a couple of dinners (Dr. Fielding actually recommended that) - and have gone to restaurants a couple of times - soft fish, some pasta with cheese - chewed well, eaten slowly, and at least 1/2 left on my plate when I finished - such an odd thing for me to do. No bread, a teeny bite of someone's dessert - but I don't have those sweet cravings or needs that I used to have. Food just doesn't seem to be the obsession it once was! Toward the end of the day I seem to get a minor pain in my left shoulder - I've been reading the posts and apparently others have this as well. It is NOTHING like the 6 day post op chest pains - that was the absolute worst part of this journey and when you think about it - not too terrible!! I've started logging info on fitday.com and it looks like my average caloric intake is just under 1000 for the past week which I think is pretty good. Funny - but since I've started eating a bit more I am hesitant to weigh myself - I'm afraid I may have gained a bit back which apparently is very common once you get off liquids - something about water weight coming back. I have my first fill on May 2nd - and I'm looking forward to seeing (feeling) what it's like. Also planning to start exercising next week - probably the stationery bike...that should help too. Bottom line is that I really feel great!!! :clap2:

Why is your skin so dry? Are you getting enough Water in? I didn't even realize that my one month is a couple days away until you posted this. I'm only down 5 pounds since surgery...and that is only when my "water retention" issues are giving me a break. But I'm sooooo happy to not be gaining weight...ecstatic that for the first time in FOREVER I'm actually motivated to exercise...and feel blessed that I have not had a single post-op issue (unless you count the rash caused by the anti-bacterial soap). Overall, this has been a great experience so far...I'm very hopeful that this is going to work...but not loving being in "bandster hell" even though I knew to expect it. I wonder what's up with your skin though...we should be able to get this figured out for you and get you baby-soft in no time.

I had Gastric Bypass surgery over 10 years ago. I lost 225Lbs and have kept the weight off over the years. I've had 4 pregnancies and my DH and I are done having kids. As you can imagine I have hanging skin and major stretch marks from my weight loss and having kids. I'd like to undergo plastic surgery and make myself look sexy again. There are soooo many plastic surgeons in and around NYC. Can anyone recommend one that specializes in plastics after weight loss surgery please ?

breast augmentation is usually around $3,500-$8,000 depending on the surgeon & how big you want 'em & also what type of implants you get.. and how they're positioned & etc.. they can go through the nipple, through the under arm, through the belly button, etc. I'm not from there, so I can't recommend any doctors, but california has some of the best!! in regards to tummy tucks, i'm not too familiar with those.. but again, cali has some of the best plastic surgeons around, so you'll be in good hands. wish you the best with your surgeries! i feel that i should mention that there are natural methods of enhancing your bust.. massage, "boobie butters", taking certain herbs (wild yam extract, fennugreek, evening primrose oil, etc).. also caffiene is terrible for breast growth, so if you drink any or eat anything with caffiene, you should stop. there's also forums out there for women looking to increase their bust naturally.. i've also posted links to some stuff on natural breast enhancement if you care to look it up. there's also the Noogleberry.. you can google it & i've posted it in various places on this site as well. noogleberry is basically like a penis pump... except it's for boobs. lol the idea is that you draw blood & cause swelling to your boobs & over time it makes them bigger, naturally. it really does work! they have pictures on their website of transgendered male to females who have used it to grow their breasts naturally.. one of 'em even has like D cups. in regards to saggy skin... there's things you can do to help.. take MSM (it's a sulfur compound derrived from rain water), skin brush- it helps get rid of dead skin cells & force new ones to start growing), eat things high in collagen, because collagen is what gives your skin it's elasticity.. there's some good low carb foods high in collagen, like blueberries... and of course, keep your skin moisturized. they sell a great MSM lotion on Amazon & it has all sorts of other beneficial oils in it, that are not harmful & the lotion isn't greasy & it is unscented. it's got shea butter, sunflower seed oil, olive leaf extract, aloe vera, grape seed extract, evening primrose oil & Vitamin e- the real kind, not the synthetic. wish you the best with everything & congrats on your weight loss!

Thank you all! This information is very helpful. I'm hoping to try to do what I can for the skin. I really don't want to have plastics. It helps to hear that there is hope. I got nervous when aides were talking about saggy vajayjays. That worries me more than thigh and belly skin.

I've lost over 100, and shapewear DEFINATELY will help. May be easiest to try and find online if you need an extended size. But don't worry - it will help ALOT with the extra skin...

I've lost just over 100 and so, I'm maybe just over half way... Shapewear is exercise just getting into it :blush5: Just sayin' I want to encourage you to exercise now...walking is going to pay HUGE dividends; more than you can imagine. Lift 2# weights...it ALL pays off. In November, things sort of stalled for me, but during the 3 month stall (gulp) I continued exercise (minimum of 30 mins x 6 days) plus lifting weights (average 50# x 10-15 reps, 2 set...3x week). I had MORE compliments on "weight loss" in that 3 month period than ANY OTHER period since VSG. I not only lost inches, but things really "firmed up" including skin. I have to admit that the daily (and I'm talking 10 times a day!) "You look great" compliments, really kept me going when the scale wasn't moving... As for shapewear, I don't wear it all the time, but I have reached that tipping point where it is gonna have to become fairly routine AND at size 2x now, it's not a flippin sweat-fest to get it on!!! P.S., I have picked up KILLER deals on shapewear at TGI Friday's in the 3x range...like $11 - $20 finds!

I had to go through purees both with my band and again with the sleeve. I'm technically allowed more than purees now, but haven't yet gone there because I'm still not meeting minimum Protein requirements. But anyway, here are some of my favorites. Take a can of black Beans, leave the juice in. Use an immersion blender to fully puree them, skin and all. Then add FF milk or soymilk to thin. Stir in sour cream (light, FF, whatever your preference - I'm not too worried about dairy fats right now) and/or hot sauce to your taste (wing sauce works too). This makes a bean puree that's the consistency of a medium thickness Soup. I eat it as-is with a spoon, usually. Yesterday I used like a spread on 2/4 piece of deli sliced cojack cheese and made a "roll-up". There's a fake lasagna that I first saw pop up about 7 years ago when the Atkins diet was so popular. It's just egg, ricotta, Italian seasoning, parmesan and sauce. Sometimes with, sometimes without cream cheese. A lot of people make this as an Italian substite during mushies. The base recipe is 8 - 10 oz ricotta (about half a 15 oz container), 1 egg, 1/4 C pizza style grated parmesan, dash Italian seasoning. Blend all together. Portion out into ramekins, if you have them, or a small baking dish if you do not. Top with tomato sauce of choice (I use a low carb spaghetti sauce). Top with a sprinkle of your favorite soft white cheese (I use provolone, it melts so smooth). Bake at 350 for about 30 mins. Technically this is a soft food, but if you took a portion and whizzed it with a bit more tomato sauce and some milk, it would be a puree. Hummus (I like it traditional - made with garbanzo beans/chick peas - and to switch up a bit I also make it with edamame/shelled soybeans): place 1 cans of garbanzo beans in a food processor with 1/4 C tahini (sesame seed paste, you should be able to get it at any mediterranean store or a regular grocery store with a decent foreign foods section), 1/8 C lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 clove garlic. Process until smooth and whippy. Cover and refrigerate until you eat it. When you serve it, drizzle a little EVOO over it (optional). You can eat any soup as long as you blenderize it so that there are no chunks, or only very soft chunks (e.g. silken tofu). If you aren't familiar with tofu, they're not created equal. Silken tofu is very soft. It breaks apart. It's good for creaming or blenderizing, but not so good for cooking. If you are going to cook with tofu, you want to buy firm or extra firm. While still soft, it has some substance and won't just fall apart. Take it out of the container and strain it by placing sevearl paper towels or a kitchen towel on either side, then top with a baking sheet and put some cans on the sheet to give it some pressure. Leave it like that for about 30 mins. That will make it even firmer. But you can still eat it without really having to chew. My favorite way to make tofu is Thai style. I don't often use recipes, but I'll do my best to recipe-ize this. About a C of low sugar OJ. 1 tbl brown sugar or brown sugar Splenda. About a tbl of sesame oil. About a tsp of soy sauce. About 4 tbls of peanut sauce (if it's too spicy for you, you can substitute Peanut Butter microwaved so that it's runny). 2 green onions and 1 clove of garlic, minced, in a tea strainer (lets the flavors out but keeps the pieces in). About 1 tbl of honey, microwaved until runny. Stir all of this until it's well conbined and marinate your tofu in it at least 24 hours. Cook in a skillet with sesame oil. Once the tofu is browned, pour some of the marinade into the skillet and cook until it carmelizes (since there's not a ton of sugar in this, it takes a while). eggs, loose quiches. Again from the Atkins days, one of my favorites was a pizza quiche. It was so good. Most people who tried it liked it more than standard pizza, because the "crust" is so much tastier. Here's the recipe I used back then. Just adjust the toppings to something that works for you now (maybe just lots more cheese!) Ingredients 1.5 pounds ground beef 1/2 small onion 1 red bell pepper 4 oz pepperoni, diced 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 6 eggs 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 tsp black pepper 8 oz Swiss cheese, shredded Instructions Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a large frying pan, brown ground beef with onions, peppers, pepperoni, salt, and pepper. Drain excess fat. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add cream and pepper, and beat together. Add shredded cheese to egg-cream mixture. Grease a large casserole dish well. Layer the ground beef mixture, and then pour the egg cream over top. Bake for 30 minutes covered, and the final 15 minutes uncovered. I made it a bit differently. I baked the "crust" for 15 minutes first, then topped with cheese, pepperoni and sausage, then baked another 15 mins.

I was just wondering, and I don't know how to ask this without it sounding weird, but do u guys think maybe ur already at ur ideal weight but perhaps jut have some excess skin from weight loss??? I assume that after I lose enough weight that I would need some nip/tuck to get how I want to be.

Very true! Those shots, shooters, and bullets are the most poor quality protein on the market. They are mostly collagen protein, the lowest of the low. Many dog food companies refuse to use such a protein. They are made from joint tissue and boiling the hair/skin of horses and cows. The protein is extracted, mixed with flavoring and waaalahhhh, you have shots, shooters, and bullets. Badddd protein... There was an FDA study done on all the people that died a few years ago from Liquid Protein diets. Something like 13 of 15 people were consuming collagen protein. Turns out, it was depleting their stores vs. adding to them. Now, these people were only consuming protein, nothing else. So Protein drinks don't kill people, consuming nothing but collage protein is risky. It's better to get a good quality protein.

I'm VERY interested. Please keep me posted if this is still going on! I need help. I droped 50 lbs the first year and want to loose 65 more. I'm yo-yo-ing and I hate it and I'm scared.

So I have been banded since Feb 2008. I have only once had too much Fluid and completely unfilled to help the swelling. Then I was filled again. This past January and February I got bronchicitis and coughed for two months. They took some fluid out becuase I felt too tight. A few months ago I got more put back and felt like I was at the sweet spot. But did not lose weight I even gained. I got sick one night from eating bread and threw up. Since then I have had NO resctriciton at all. I can eat whatever I want. It is like I lost all my fluid. So I went to the doctor. He said all looked well and gave me a fill. So I waited my three days before eating real food. Again no resctriction, that was a week ago. I have made another appointment to see the doctor again. I just don't feel right. Today I started to feel pain under my left rib cage and pain in my back. I am wondering if I slipped but slipped upwards? Any one have comments or similiar story. I just feel like something happenend. How can you go from having rescriction to none at all.

I just go with the flow....I'm glad as all heck the band is doing it's job. If I find it hard to eat some day, so what. I don't eat. Simple. It makes up for the days it's loose. But I like knowing it's there with every swallow. I have not been able to eat breakfast for nearly a year now. So I have a high protein smoothie every morning.

Check with your insurance, they might cover the tummy tuck because you've lost more than 100 pounds. Some insurance will even cover arm and leg skin removal after massive weight loss, too.

Omg I'm so excited and nervous for my doctors appointment on the 22nd. Been eating super healthy the past 3wks drinking tones of Water eating fruit an veggies Ect with not weight loss nor gain :/ hopping my doc apt will go perfect and everything will fall into place. Also have questions about lose skin, what's the best way to make sure lose skin doesn't happen. And if it does happen do insurances cover tummy tucks for lose skin caused by weight loss surgeries? Please tell me your story the good and the bad I wanna know everything.